Jesus did it all for You

‘But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus’ (Eph 2:4-6).

In The Expositor's Bible Commentary C. Truman Davis, MD writes, "What is crucifixion? A medical doctor provides a physical description: 'As he slowly sags down...on the nails in the wrists, excruciating pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain…As he pushes himself upward to avoid stretching torment, He places the full weight on the nail through His feet. Again he feels the agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of the feet.

With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath..., He experiences searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against the rough timber. Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart. It is now almost over; the loss of tissue fluids reaches a critical level; the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues; the tortured lungs are making a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air. He can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues...finally he can allow his body to die." The Bible records it in these words: 'And they crucified him'. What wondrous love is this?

The truth is, Jesus endured all these brutalities for you. He would have done it if you were the only one He needed to die for (Matthew 18:12-14). Through Christ’s atoning death He has ransomed all creation from destruction and man from eternal torment, giving him an abundant life, now and forever. The benefits of Christ’s death are countless, but five of them are being considered in this study.

By Christ’s death He has:

1.    Perfected those that are being made holy

All men who believe in Jesus Christ and repent of their sins are instantly cleansed from their past, present and future sins. We instantly receive the righteousness of Christ (Justification). However, it will take a life long journey of a relationship with God for one’s character to be molded through the washing of God’s word (Sanctification) - Hebrews 10:14.

2.    Cleansed the believer’s conscience

Because God sees the believer through the righteousness of Christ, the believer can boldly go into the Holy of Holies, the very presence of God, to “obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."(Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 10:22)

3.    Delivered the believer from the fear of death 

Christ died to ‘destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage’ (Heb 2:14, 15 - NIV). To the believer, death is only a time of rest and a transfer into eternal glory.

4.    Sealed the Testament or Will

Every covenant is sealed by Blood, for example Moses used blood to seal the Mosaic Covenant. A Testament or will and its contents can never be enforced until the one who made it is dead. When Jesus died a seal was set on every scripture as concluded for delivery. Whatever is written in the word concerning you has been sealed in heaven (Heb 9:16-19). So the song writer says ‘forever o lord thy word is settled in heaven’.

5.    Raised us up together with Him

At His resurrection Christ raised believers up with Him. Now, we are seated with Him far above all principalities...If by the sin of Adam we all became earthly and canal, in Christ we are no more earthly but heavenly. We have been transformed by His Spirit (Eph 2:6, 2 Cor 15:48).

‘It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery’ (Gal 5:1). If you have not accepted Jesus as your Master and Savior, do so today. He loves you and did it all for you.